Time After Time follows the adventures of Cameron, an 11-year-old girl who feels ignored by her TV-addict parents, her computer-obsessed schoolmates, and teachers, who use videos for lesson plans. While working on a time capsule project at the museum, she accidentally becomes trapped in the basement, where she discovers an ancient time machine. Cameron starts playing around with the machine's controls - and suddenly she is transported back to in time to the year 1885.

There she meets Lu, an immigrant girl from China, whose father is working on the new trans-country railroad. Lu doesn't go to school, works hard, and does not have access to the basics that Cameron takes for granted: telephones, television, airplane travel, etc. Lu is a visible minority in a time of extreme racist beliefs, and a girl living at a time when even adult women have few rights. She find relief from her oppression by creating stories to keep her mind occupied and games that develop her imagination and offer hope for something better to come along.

Cameron invites Lu to visit her era, but the time machine over-shoots the target and they end up in the year 2365 instead. There they encounter a boy who goes by the name 8021D. Technology has progressed so far that he can activate a microchip planted in his brain programmed with a variety of games and virtual reality experiences. Physical exercise is no longer necessary as muscle stimulators can be attached to his body to keep muscles toned. Injuries can be healed with household equipment. Everything is so convenient that no-one leaves their respective "cells" - reducing personal relationships to electronic communication.

Given their different backgrounds, the three children are challenged to find common ground to communicate. As they share experiences with one another, they are thrilled and fascinated - but they also come to realize what they would lose if they were to exchange lives. They work together on a project to document this monumental meeting before they must inevitably separate, all the richer for having met.

Pictured - Jenny Young. Photo by David Cooper

Touring: British Columbia, Oct- Dec 00/Jan-Feb 01

Recommended Audience: For Children

Themes

• Creativity/Imagination
• Communication
• History

Production History